The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-06-03
miscellaneous.
BEL AIR FIFTY YEARS AGO.
RECOLLECTlONS OF AN OLD INHABITANT.

This being Bel Airs centennial year l will
try to give you my recollections of the town
when first knew it, in 1920 or 1880.
Time has made many changes since. Then
there were only 81 houses in the place, now
there are over 200. Beginning at the resi-
dence of Thomas A. Hays, where Mrs. Jacobs
now lives, the last house, on that side Of the
street, going north, was the house of VIM.
Jeffrey. Opposite Mr.. Hays was the house
now occupied by VIM. Wann, and the last
house on that sido was the one now occupied
by Mrs Elizabeth G. Lee.
There were only two dwelling houses on
the back street. One was occupied by Will
liam Mills, tailor, being the house in which
Frederick Heuer lives The other was where
Peter Cherbonnier, French teacher lived
1t is now the residence of Mr.. Wesley Coale
Included in the 81 houses were four hotels
a large boarding school and the Academy.
The latter was in charge of Rev. Reuben II
Davis. For some years it had an average OF
100 scholars, representing nearly every State,
from Louisiana 10 New York. Some Indian
boys were also pupils. The female school
was kept by Miss Bolton, where Mr.. Lee, the
florist lives.
One of the hotels, kept by Stephen Jones,
was the one now occupied by w. Smithson
Forwood, as the Changers Hotel. Mr.. Jones
was father of Mrs. A. Lingan Jarrett The
present Sweets Hotel was kept by Major
VIM. Richardson, the father of DR.. E. Hall,
DR.. VIM. s. and Henry Richardson. Another
was kept where Clayman's Hotel now stands
by DR.. VIM. McIlhenny. The fourth hotel
was kept by James Knight in the building
still standing on the corner of Main street
and the Baltimore turnpike formerly occu-
pied by Mrs. s. M. Shepherd and near the
handsome residence of Mr.. Allen Hoffman.
There were no churches in Bel Air in those
days, but there was preaching occasionally in
the Academy and the Court House by Rev
others. Subsequently Union church was
built ON the site of the present new Masonic
Temple, which was used in common by all
denominations.
There was neither pavement, sidewalk MOI
street in Bel Air as at present, and after
every heavy rain the mud was deep, and
stuck to the boots closer than friend. A,
this time there was much heavy hauling from
Cecil county and from Pennsylvania through
Bel Air to Baltimore. | have often seen
heavy loads Of glass pass through from Pitts
burg.
Two lines of stages daily piled between
Baltimore and Philadelphia. The p, w
and B. and the Northern Central Railroads
were not then in existence. One line Of
stages stopped at McKenny's Hotel and the
other at Major Richardson's. There was a
great deal of rivalry between them. One OF
these lines crossed the Susquehanna river at
Conowingo ford and the other crossed by
way of the old bridge at Rock Run.
recollect that one of the objections ad-
vanced by some farmers to the building OF the
r., w. and b. Railroad was that railroad
wnt1l1 a n hn OF nd
would be no market for corn, oats and corn
blades, all of which were bought by the stage
proprietors for horse food. 1t was also feared
that the railroad would injure the wheel
wrights, blacksmiths and carriage makers
At this time but little timothy hay was
raised in the county. Mr.. Thomas A. Hays,
| think, was the only farmer in the neigh
borhood who raised any. The first timothy
/ ever saw growing was on his land, the
Academy meadow" lying between Bel Air
and the present residence of Hon. Henry w.
Archer.
There were only four lawyers in the place
COL Israel d. Maulsby, Ohio Scott, Albert
Constable and VIM. B. Bond.
The old Court House, which was burned
down in the winter of 1857 stood where tho
present one stands. 1t contained two large
tire-places, which would take in logs of cord
wood length, and when they were filled with
seasoned hickory they made things warm
The boys had to move back or get their pants
scorched.
The Judges were Hon. Stevenson Archer,
father of the present Hon. Stevenson Archer,
Thomas Kell and Purviance. Henry Dorsey,
grandfather of Hon. Henry D. Farnandis,
was clerk of court
The money crops, SO to speak, ofthe county,
were apple and peach brandies, chair stuff,
hoop poles and chestnuts. Nearly every
farmer had q still, the products of which
brought him ready money.
The millers from this neighborhood used
to go to Bush River Neck 10 get corn to
grind.
OF all the great legal lights which llumin-
ed the Bel Air bar in those days, the only
one now living is the distinguished and ven
cradle George M. Gill, of Baltimore, who
lived and practiced law here for time, and
has pleasant recollections of the town and
county.
The citizens of Bel Air were hospitable,
kind and polite-qualities they still possess.
In other respects the changes since those
days have been many and great. The whole
county, indeed, has undergone revolution,
and hope will continue to grow and pros
per In all good works. NJ.